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• The electron configuration of carbon gives it covalent compatibility with many different elements
• The valences of carbon and its most frequent partners (hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen) are the “building code” that governs the architecture of living molecules
• Is polar as a resultof the electronsspending moretime near theelectronegativeoxygen atom.
• Can form hydrogenbonds with watermolecules, helpingdissolve organiccompounds suchas sugars.
Hydroxyl
Figure 4.9b
Carbonyl
STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE
Ketones if the carbonylgroup is within acarbon skeleton
NAME OFCOMPOUND
FUNCTIONALPROPERTIES
Aldehydes if the carbonylgroup is at the end of thecarbon skeleton
• A ketone and analdehyde may bestructural isomerswith different properties,as is the case foracetone and propanal.
Acetone
Propanal
• Ketone and aldehydegroups are also foundin sugars, giving riseto two major groupsof sugars: ketoses(containing ketonegroups) and aldoses(containing aldehydegroups).
Carboxyl
STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE
Carboxylic acids, or organicacids
NAME OFCOMPOUND
FUNCTIONALPROPERTIES
Acetic acid
• Acts as an acid; candonate an H+ because thecovalent bond betweenoxygen and hydrogen is sopolar:
• Found in cells in the ionizedform with a charge of 1– andcalled a carboxylate ion.
Nonionized Ionized
Figure 4.9c
Amino
Amines
Glycine
STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE • Acts as a base; canpick up an H+ from thesurrounding solution(water, in livingorganisms):
NAME OFCOMPOUND
FUNCTIONALPROPERTIES
• Found in cells in theionized form with acharge of 1.
Nonionized Ionized
Figure 4.9d
Sulfhydryl
Thiols
(may bewritten HS—)
STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE • Two sulfhydryl groups canreact, forming a covalentbond. This “cross-linking”helps stabilize proteinstructure.
NAME OFCOMPOUND
FUNCTIONALPROPERTIES
• Cross-linking of cysteinesin hair proteins maintainsthe curliness or straightnessof hair. Straight hair can be“permanently” curled byshaping it around curlersand then breaking andre-forming the cross-linkingbonds.
Cysteine
Figure 4.9e
Figure 4.9f
Phosphate
STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE
NAME OFCOMPOUND
FUNCTIONALPROPERTIES
Organic phosphates
Glycerol phosphate
• Contributes negativecharge to the moleculeof which it is a part(2– when at the end ofa molecule, as at left;1– when locatedinternally in a chain ofphosphates).
• Molecules containingphosphate groups havethe potential to reactwith water, releasingenergy.
Figure 4.9g
Methyl
STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE
NAME OFCOMPOUND
FUNCTIONALPROPERTIES
Methylated compounds
5-Methyl cytidine
• Addition of a methyl groupto DNA, or to moleculesbound to DNA, affects theexpression of genes.
• Arrangement of methylgroups in male and femalesex hormones affects theirshape and function.
ATP: An Important Source of Energy for Cellular Processes
• One phosphate molecule, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is the primary energy-transferring molecule in the cell
• ATP consists of an organic molecule called adenosine attached to a string of three phosphate groups